Death in Paradise
Death in Paradise
Now Showing

Death in Paradise

7.5
Yr 2011
Rt 53m
Status Returning Series
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Series Brief

Overview

A brilliant but idiosyncratic British detective and his resourceful local team solve baffling murder mysteries on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 76 /100

Initially mocked by television critics during its early years, Death in Paradise has quietly grown into one of British television's most reliable and massive ratings hits. Described as a cosy murder mystery series set on a fictional Caribbean island, the show blends sunny tropical backdrops with classic puzzle-style whodunit plots centered around a rotation of idiosyncratic British lead detectives.

Over more than a decade on the air, commentators note that the drama shows few signs of flagging. While it comfortably exists within a lighthearted formula of its own devising, reviewers and fans consistently praise the show for being entertaining, lighthearted, and packed with genuine mystery twists.

“Death in Paradise is the Céline Dion of British TV: mocked in adolescence, tolerated in it...”

“The first series was, in my opinion, exceptional. Even the weaker plots were still presented as genuine puzzles and the show was never less than entertaining.”

“We may be 15 series in, but the sunny crime drama shows few signs of flagging.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Why fans love it

Death in Paradise contrasts the grim mechanics of a traditional murder mystery with the sun-drenched atmosphere of a fictional Caribbean island. While many crime dramas rely on shadows and industrial grit to build tension, this series finds its rhythm in the sharp disparity between violent death and the unrelenting calm of Saint Marie. The puzzles are constructed with a classic whodunit structure, requiring detective work that favors logic and deduction over physical action.

The tone shifts comfortably between methodical investigation and lighthearted comedy, preventing the procedural elements from becoming overly heavy. Ben Miller anchors the early episodes as the fish-out-of-water outsider whose social detachment remains as much of an obstacle as the cases themselves. By pairing high-stakes crimes with a relaxed tropical environment, the show achieves a distinct pace that separates it from standard police procedurals. It remains a consistent puzzle for those who prefer cerebral investigation over sensory intensity.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 2
Longest run 120 eps
Show 67 more
Ardal O'Hanlon as Jack Mooney 24 episodes Danny John-Jules as Dwayne Myers 59 episodes Joséphine Jobert as Florence Cassell 54 episodes Tobi Bakare as J.P. Hooper 58 episodes Shantol Jackson as Naomi Thomas 40 episodes Tahj Miles as Marlon Pryce 32 episodes Ginny Holder as Darlene Curtis 32 episodes Sean Maguire as Marlon Collins 2 episodes Shaquille Ali-Yebuah as Sebastian Rose 16 episodes Catherine Garton as Mattie Fletcher 8 episodes Ralf Little as Neville Parker 36 episodes Don Gilet as Mervin Wilson 17 episodes Adrian Dunbar as Aidan Miles 2 episodes Lenora Crichlow as Lily Thomson 1 episode Hannah Spearritt as Lily Shaw 1 episode Helen Baxendale as Sasha Moore 1 episode Caroline Proust as Emilie Benoit 1 episode Phil Davis as Jim Chandler 1 episode Gary Lewis as Bill Williams 1 episode Heida Reed as Eloise Ronson 1 episode James Murray as Ronnie Stuart 1 episode Neil Morrissey as Disco Biscuit / Duncan Roberts 1 episode Robert Pugh as Mike Watson 1 episode Emma Rigby as Laura Hagen 1 episode Tom York as Leo Richards 1 episode Julian Ovenden as Dan Hagen 1 episode Joshua Hill as Jonathan Taylor 1 episode Fola Evans-Akingbola as Rosey Fabrice 4 episodes Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd 5 episodes John Marquez as Tom Lewis 2 episodes Amy Beth Hayes as Sophie Boyd 2 episodes Luke Newberry as Steve Thomas 2 episodes Henry Pettigrew as Dominic Green 2 episodes Julian Wadham as Frank Henderson 2 episodes Nigel Betts as Martin West 2 episodes Leemore Marrett Jr. as Patrice Campbell 6 episodes Zackary Momoh as Harrison Green 2 episodes Nicôle Lecky as Tiana Palmer 2 episodes Ram John Holder as Nelson Myers 4 episodes Prisca Bakare as Rosey Hooper 2 episodes Grace Stone as Siobhan Mooney 7 episodes Nina Wadia as Anna Masani 4 episodes Kate O'Flynn as Izzy Parker 3 episodes Mathew Horne as Leo Downs 2 episodes Robert Webb as Justin West 2 episodes James Fox as Martin Goodman QC (voice) (uncredited) 2 episodes Morven Christie as Sally Goodman 2 episodes Frances Tomelty as Olivia Reeves 2 episodes Adrian Schiller as Pasha Verdinikov 2 episodes Lia Williams as Grace Verdinikov 2 episodes Niamh Cusack as Maggie O'Connell 2 episodes Sam Retford as Joseph Verdinikov 2 episodes Luke Bailey as Delford Adams 2 episodes Chelsea Edge as Sophie Chambers 6 episodes Kent Riley as Andrew Buckley 2 episodes Solomon Israel as Henry Baptiste 2 episodes Patrick Kennedy as David Cartwright 2 episodes Ben Tavassoli as Jake Dalton 2 episodes Cara Theobold as Rose Dalton 2 episodes Genesis Lynea as Andrina Harper Patterson 3 episodes Taj Atwal as Zoe 2 episodes Joy Richardson as Brianna Clemetson 2 episodes Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge as Sterling Fox 3 episodes Gerard Horan as Roy Palmer 2 episodes Daniel Ward as Solomon Clarke 4 episodes Gary Wilmot as Anton Busette 2 episodes Avah Cotterell as Eloise Clarke 2 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Death in Paradise overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

detective island investigation police murder whodunit investigator police detective murder investigation caribbean sea murder mystery calm antilles caribbean cosy crime
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
October 25, 2011
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
53 minutes
Origin
GB
TMDB Votes
336